The Backstage Show

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What is The Backstage Show?

Simply put, The Backstage Show is a podcast about theatre, hosted by two guys who have been involved in many community theatre productions in the Philadelphia suburbs, in several capacities, for many years. We discuss a variety of topics in a conversational manner—you don't need to be involved with theatre to listen, though you many find things more of interest if you are. Our topics or interviews are either contained within a single episode or span several weekly podcast episodes in series. This way, each weekly episode clocks in at about 30 minutes, so you're not stuck listening to us ramble on for hours at a time.

Become a Part of Our Show!

Got an amateur theatrical experience to share? Are you involved with a show you'd like to plug? Do you have a different opinion than something we've expressed in a prior episode? We'd love to have you on the show! If you're interested in lending your viewpoint and your voice, send us an e-mail at podcast@backstage.link to let us know what you'd like to get off your chest. Depending on availability, we can have you into our makeshift studio to record, bring our equipment to you, or arrange for a recorded phone interview. We look forward to hearing from you!

Series / Episode Details

1/21 • Episode 40

Top Five Neil Simon Plays

Glen and Jim delve into the life and works of the late, great playwright Neil Simon (1927–2018). After a discussion of his career, they filter their (admittedly minimal) experiences with his work into Top Five lists.

1/28 – February

On Hiatus

We're taking a short vacation to come up with some fresh topics, but we'll return sometime in February with new episodes! See the Facebook and e-mail links above if you'd like to contact us while we're away.

Older Episodes

Episode 01: Curtains Up

2 April 2018. In our first episode, we answer the questions burning in everyone's minds: Who are Glen and Jim? Why are they creating a podcast (and why now)? Consider this our brief introduction to you, the listener, so you get to know us a bit better before we dive into topics that are more of interest... to us.

Episodes 02–04: Play Selection

9–23 April 2018. How do directors select their plays? How do theatres select the plays that make up their season? In this three-part series, Glen and Jim discuss what their experiences have been (from their perspectives as directors, theatre members, and board members), what's worked best for them, and what hasn't.

Episodes 05–08: Auditions and Casting

30 April – 21 May 2018. From audition preparation, through the audition itself, and on to casting, actors and directors alike have many options. In this four-part series, Glen and Jim chat about how the process has (and hasn't) worked for them. And yes, they answer the dreaded question: Why wasn't I cast?

Episodes 09–10: Becoming a Director

28 May – 4 June 2018. Once you decide "what I really want to do is direct," how do you set off on that road? In this two-part series, Glen and Jim share their experiences with that process and how they turned their directorial ambitions into reality.

Episodes 11–12: Starting to Direct

11–18 June 2018. Okay, you've been approved, and you've been given the helm of your first show. What now? Glen and Jim take you from planning rehearsals through opening night in this two-part series.

Episodes 13–14: Live Theatre

25 June – 2 July 2018. One of the tenets of live performances is that anything can happen. Glen and Jim discuss how you might prepare for that and share their experiences of Things Gone Wrong.

Episode 15: The Backstage Road Show

9 July 2018. Join Jim and Glen in this special episode on the road as they discuss various theatre-related transportation issues.

Episodes 16–17: Bridge Players Theatre Company Interview

16–23 July 2018. Glen and Jim travel to Burlington, New Jersey, for a two-part interview with Lindsey Kilchesty, Director of Marketing for the Bridge Players Theatre Company.

Episodes 18–19: Legality Issues

30 July 2018 – 6 August 2018. Once you've obtained the rights to a script, what can you do? What must you do? Glen and Jim scrape at the surface of theatrical legal issues as only a couple of amateurs can do.

Episode 20: Handling Adult Content

13 August 2018. Foul language, extreme violence, sexual situations... these and other factors occur more and more often in theatre. In this episode, Glen and Jim relate their personal experience on how to deal with adult content.

Episodes 21–23: Barley Sheaf Players Interview

17 September – 1 October 2018. Jim and Glen sit down for a chat with Keith Chamberlain, Vice President of Barley Sheaf Players, to talk about the theatre that Glen calls "home."

Episodes 24–26: Village Players of Hatboro Interview

8–22 October 2018. Allison Schrader and Ashley Lora-Lee (President and Vice President of The Village Players of Hatboro) regale us with history and stories of Jim's "home" theatre.

Episodes 27–28: Theatre Superstitions (Halloween Special)

29–31 October 2018. Everyone knows not to say "MacBeth" in a theatre. In this episode, Glen and Jim delve further into several theatre superstitions, the history behind them, and their personal experiences.

Episode 29: Sound Design

5 November 2018. Theatre may be a visual medium, but a good production meets your ears with more than just the actors' voices. In this episode, Jim and Glen discuss details about sound design for community theatre.

Episode 30: Set Design

19 November 2018. The set often gives the audience its first impression of a show. Glen and Jim bring Erin Ryan in to discuss the ins and outs of community theatre set design.

Episode 31: Expectations of Community Theatre

19 November 2018. Riffing off an Arts People blog entry by Patrick Spike, Jim and Glen explore the evolving expectations of community theatre (from inside as well as from the audience) and discuss the implications.

Episode 32: Theatre Burnout

26 November 2018. Glen and Jim talk about drawing the line between involvement and over-involvement with theatre, including how that line moves over time, and what to do to combat burnout and maximize enjoyment.

Episodes 33–34: Roundtable with Steve and Renée Schulz

3–10 December 2018. In a more loose, "(almost) anything goes" format, Jim and Glen welcome their longtime theatre friends Steve and Renée for a conversation about their experiences with community theatre throughout the years.

Episode 35: Top Five Audience Distractions

17 December 2018. Glen and Jim discuss the things that audience members do that distract on-stage performers. Individual top-five lists were made, but there’s bound to be some overlap!

Episode 36: Chestnut Roasting (Christmas Eve Special)

24 December 2018. Glen and Jim pull out all the stops on this Christmas Eve extravaganza, featuring everything from carols to roasting a chestnut. Bear witness to what may become our holiday tradition!

Episode 37: Looking Back on 2018 (New Year's Eve Special)

31 December 2018. As the year comes to a close, Jim and Glen reflect on the start of their podcast, changes they've made, and thoughts on what lies ahead. There's also a discussion of their 2018 theatre experiences... and the usual tangents.

Episodes 38–39: Cast Dynamics and Chemistry

7–14 January 2019. One of the most important components of a successful show is a cast that gets along. In their first episode of the new year, Glen and Jim delve into cast politics and how people from different backgrounds come together to make community theatre work.